1. Field of the Invention
The disclosures herein generally relate to information processing apparatuses, Web page updating methods, and recording media having a program embedded therein, and particularly relate to an information processing apparatus for displaying a Web page, a Web page updating method, and a recording medium having a program embedded therein.
2. Description of the Related Art
Typical Web systems employ HTTP (HyperText Transfer Protocol) as a communication protocol used between a Web browser and a Web server (i.e., HTTP server). In HTTP, communication is initiated by the Web browser. Namely, one HTTP communication is comprised of an HTTP request issued by the Web browser and an HTTP response returned by the Web server in response to the HTTP request. Because of this, it is difficult to change what is displayed by the Web browser in response to an event occurring at the Web server asynchronously from any HTTP request.
Communication that is asynchronous from an HTTP request is achieved by use of a technology such as Ajax (i.e., Asynchronous Java (registered trademark) Script+XML).
In the case of a Web browser embedded in an embedded device such as an image forming apparatus, an advanced technology such as Ajax may not be available due to limitation to its functions. According to the technologies disclosed in Patent Documents listed below, further, the Web browser is required to have a dedicated network communication unit for the purpose of asynchronously redrawing a display image. However, it is extremely difficult to add a new function to a Web browser embedded in an embedded device, especially in the case of another company's Web browser. In an environment in which Ajax or the technologies disclosed in Patent Documents listed below are not available, thus, a displayed image on the Web browser side may not be asynchronously updated.
Accordingly, there is a need for an information processing apparatus, a Web page updating method, and a recording medium having a program embodied therein for updating a display state on the Web browser side asynchronously from a request from the Web browser.
[Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2008-131388
[Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2000-020423
[Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2004-110113